Calathea does not grow much!

16 years ago

I was surfing this forum for some times, got some very good advice on my several house plants. I have a question on my calathea plant I bought it from Wal-Mart about 8 months ago. It has not grown at all in these 8 months. I buy spring water, and water it. Still after a while the edge of the leaf tuns brownish-black, and leaf wilts and drops. The plant gets many new leaves, as many as it drops. but the leaves do not get tall or big. Is this normal? Do I need to fertilize more often? Please help!

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Comments (3)

johnofblackthumb
16 years ago
Hi,

you mention very little about the conditions your plant is kept in.......
With my Calathea, I've noticed it's really important to keep it away from the cold, not close to a window or any draughts........
Do you mist it at all? Cals like high humidity...

John
jeannie7
16 years ago
Oracle, its sometimes difficult for a northern residing person to think California and give what can be considered good advice about plants.

The "Calathea"....is indoors I take it. California, like us northerners, is experiencing low sun values at this time.
A couple weeks...the 21st...the shortest day of the year.

Calathea likes bright....but not direct sun. More filtered sun is the usual way to describe. But at this time of season with the sun so low I think it can be put in front of the window until round bout mid February when the sun starts to give much more which should promote growth.

If this is the case for your plant, the leaf color will be the first thing you notice improves. It must though be kept above 55ÂºF....and if your area does experience low temps, then be sure to not let your plant's leaves touch the window glass.
Misting your plant is vital...it likes to be kept in a high humid condition. You might think to give it a humidity tray. The plant must be kept moist....but never soggy. This may take a few waterings to learn when its condition is maybe too wet.....or too dry. The misting regularly will help in that regard.

Later on, as the plant begins to grow in earnest and over a couple of years, its important to not let your plant become root bound. Most potted plants thrive in this condition...but not your Calathea. Re-pot when you think the roots are becoming too much.
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I've been ignoring Houzz'zz (lol) emails about updates to this thread, not expecting that some of your questions / comments would be addressed to me directly. Petrushka just PM'ed me, and that got my attention - thank you, Petrushka! :-) > I see that somewhere between 2013 and 2015 you went from 511 for your calathea to a "more water retentive mix, thinking it would do better". Can I ask why you did this, what you went to and how you got on? I generally know that a plant needs more water-retentive mix if by the time I water again, the soil is too dry for that *particular* plant. This "particular plant" thing is important, because some plants like drying out thoroughly between waterings, some don't, and some are somewhere in-between. Most Calatheas are very thirsty in my experience, meaning the mix dries out way too fast, AND because they grow in wet forests, they do not like the mix drying out. So, this definitely called for a slightly denser mix in my case. I am looking at my notes now - I actually changed the mix in this one at least twice over the years I've grown it, once to "gritty mix", which I found to be too fast-draining, and then after dividing the plant in April 2015, into "2 parts Promix / 1 part gritty mix". Promix is basically a good quality peat-based mix, and gritty mix is equal parts of coarse diatomaceous earth, small granite chips and fine pine bark. This is what the plant still grows in now. It's doing ok, but by far not as good as yours, Petrushka! It's growing on a tray with a bunch of neighbors in pretty tight quarters. This is good for humidity (I did not need to bag it last winter), but it does not have enough space to grow, as you probably can see here.
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Cj-Speciosa, your plant looks in Excellent shape, why bother repotting, unless its bothering you.the only oppinion that i would give you is to remember that Calatheas are slow growers and when being repoted you tend to damage the rooting without knowing it so you have to be very caeful when doing so.Remember that the calathea plants are very delicit in the rooting because they tend to get stress while repotting so keep that in mind if you do repot it, one other thing if you do make shore that the next pot is the same way glazed at the bottom like mine are because the other ones tend to absorbe the water from the bottom. Any way Cj your good and i wish you good luck with your palnt it`s beautiful. P.S If any mor questions feel free to write back . Slickrick. one other thing that is the max grown higth for the Calathea plant
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tdoracle
Original Author
16 years ago
I am in San Diego, and room temperature is usually remains in 60's. My Plant is placed in North-west facing window about a foot away from windows. We get a very mild sun during this time of year. Windows has a blinds which remains mostly closed. I use humidity tray for the palnt. But should confess that I do not mist the plant very often may be twice a month.
The roots are visible from the holes of the pot. Do you think this is the time to re-pot? I am very afraid of repotting. I almost killed my peace lilly after repotting. It is slowly coming back...

What type of soil and fertilizer should be used for Calathea repotting? Can I repot in this season?

Thanks for quick replies.

Calathea does not grow much!

Comments (3)

johnofblackthumb

jeannie7

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Calathea does not grow much!

Comments (3)

johnofblackthumb

jeannie7

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tdoracleOriginal Author

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tdoracle
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